Does "Looking Good" help you get the nursing job?

[Brother-of-Nurse]

I have been in a very ridiculous debate with someone I know concerning this. It begins with a brief story of him asking my brother to help a friend get into the hospital.

The kid states that she goes to nursing school, and my brother agrees that will help.

He adds, "Yea, plus she looks good and she's fit so that will help her get the job." My brother doesn't see how that can help and the kid utters back, "No trust me. I learned it in school. Looking good helps get the job anywhere."

Now of course, my brother disagrees due to his experience in the medical industry. I can agree SOMEWHAT with my business background, but I see it only applying to SOME companies dealing in advertising, sales, marketing, and retail where they want the individual to be an image of their brand, or a representative of their company and what product they are promoting. In those cases where, unfortunately, a pretty face helps get the foot in the door of potential clients and buyers, I can agree with his statement despite its ignorance. HOWEVER, i disagree with it applying to a nursing job. From common sense AND having family and friends as nurses, I know the field focuses on skill rather than looks. Now I'm not saying nurses are ugly.....I have seen many attractive nurses. But I see this as a field consisting of all types which shows me it relies on skill, not looks. I do know physical appearance helps in ANY interview, but that means hygiene, grooming, and professional dress. That should always be key in ANY interview, the kid takes the phrase too literal where he thinks it means a pretty face.

Please help with any proof, experience, or knowledge of this situation. I would love to hear from Nurse Recruiters since they do the hiring. Please help me open this kid's eyes and ears and stop being ignorant and taking things too literally. Thank you!!

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

Nursing is a matriarchal society. I know studies say that women are not immune to prejudice favoring the attractive--even attractive women--but I truly do believe it is not as much a factor as when men are making the decision. A bigger factor is "looking like a nurse," which entails factors within our control: neat, well-groomed, professional. Cleavage doesn't help at a nursing interview. Especially if you're a guy. But I digress...

There have been threads about people not getting hired or having trouble after they were because they were "too good-looking," and threads about being discriminated against for not being beautiful. Sorry, I can't remember any specifics. My gut (which is rather ample) tells me that some of these may be based on the poster's perception, rather than reality, but at least some may be valid. All else being equal, the attractive candidate may have a slight advantage, but when is all else ever equal?

[AlabamaBelle]

I participate in peer interviews at my facility. I expect to see prospective peers present themselves in a professional manner - well groomed, appropriately dressed for the occasion, professional in demeanor. Actual physicality has nothing to do with it for those of us on the team.

We are looking for the team player, the one who can contribute the most and is teachable. Can you actually answer the questions you are being asked and not give us some run around answer?

That being said, though, there have been those occasions we've interviewed someone who was already at work or just going off shift or was doing their preceptorship that day.

[Brother-of-Nurse]

All else being equal, the attractive candidate may have a slight advantage, but when is all else ever equal?

Many great responses...Nursemike said it best in the simplest way. I tried converying this to the antagonist, but he didn't want to hear it. He was too busy trying to prove he was right without considering that real world factors disprove his comment. Now I am humble...and I am different than the norm. I view candidates by performance, confidence, and articulation. I can care less how attractive someone is, as long as they dress professional and take care of themselves. If you care about yourself it shows you put in effort. Being born with natural beauty is just luck of the draw. To add, his friend, though attractive, is shy.....and he feels that it doesn't matter. The shyness will be overlooked. It's hard to reason with him and unfortunately when i own up to the fact that he holds truth in some of his beliefs, he will not own up to the fact that I am right in some of my statements.....he will automatically hear "you're right" and then shut out everything else. =/

So what answer can I give this kid? What is the simple answer SPECIFICALLY CONCERNING a nursing job, and a nursing job only?

[Crash_Cart]

All nurses are beautiful people.